mattress
Americannoun
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mattresses
plural
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a large pad for supporting the reclining body, used as or on a bed, consisting of a quilted or similarly fastened case, usually of heavy cloth, that contains hair, straw, cotton, foam rubber, etc., or a framework of metal springs.
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a mat woven of brush, poles, or similar material, used to prevent erosion of the surface of dikes, jetties, embankments, dams, etc.
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a layer of concrete placed on bare ground, as to provide a footing; mat.
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a layer of any material used to cushion, protect, reinforce, or the like.
noun
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a large flat pad with a strong cover, filled with straw, foam rubber, etc, and often incorporating coiled springs, used as a bed or as part of a bed
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Also called: Dutch mattress. a woven mat of brushwood, poles, etc, used to protect an embankment, dyke, etc, from scour
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Sometimes shortened to: mat. a concrete or steel raft or slab used as a foundation or footing
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a network of reinforcing rods or expanded metal sheeting, used in reinforced concrete
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civil engineering another name for blinding
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of mattress
1250–1300; Middle English materas < Old French < Italian materasso < Arabic maṭraḥ mat, cushion
Explanation
Your mattress is the padded part of your bed that rests on top of the frame or box springs and is covered in a sheet. Some people prefer a soft, squishy mattress, while others like their mattresses firm. Some mattresses have a system of springs inside to provide just the right amount of firmness and bounce when you lie on them. Others are made of a dense kind of foam that supports a sleeper's body comfortably. The earliest mattresses were filled with straw or horse hair, and in many societies people don't sleep on mattresses at all, instead using mats or futons. The Arabic root of mattress is al-matrah, "thing thrown down."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
They bought an expensive mattress, installed a new stove and work station and fully stocked the kitchen with dishes and appliances.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 17, 2026
"Japan is often described as a country suffering from sleep deprivation, and people here are very diligent," Riichiro Nakama, creative director at organiser Koala Sleep Japan, the mattress company.
From Barron's ● Oct. 6, 2026
She has a disability and cannot walk, and told me she had nowhere of her own to sleep: "I have nothing… no shelter, no mattress, no family. Nothing."
From BBC ● Sep. 27, 2026
On the floor was a single mattress, low to the ground, with carnation-pink satin sheets.
From Slate ● Sep. 22, 2026
Even from here I can see the strands of my hair on the pillow, and the narrow indentation running lengthwise down the mattress.
From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse
“And we never heard back,” Miranda said, telling me she had seen people set up camp at the property, bringing in mattresses, book shelves and clothing racks.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 12, 2026
One park in Pereira was transformed into a makeshift shelter with tents and mattresses.
From Barron's ● Aug. 12, 2026
Local people said waste, including mattresses and fridges, had been dumped at the site.
From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026
The burned waste at the site included several old mattresses, a fridge freezer, builders waste, car tyres, a cement mixer and wood panelling.
From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026
In the corner, five pallets—with thin mattresses and undyed blankets on each—stood in a tall stack.
From "The Inquisitor's Tale" by Adam Gidwitz
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